Eye protector

ABSTRACT

An eye protector (10) having a body with an upper edge, a lower edge and an arcuate portion extending between the upper and lower edges. The body is dimensioned to fit over the eye so that, in doing so, the upper edge is positioned closely adjacent and above the eye while the lower edge is positioned closely adjacent and below the eye. The body is constructed so that the weight of the body between a midline extending across the arcuate section and the top edge of the body is greater than the remainder of the body. In addition, a plurality of spaced ridges (44) extend outwardly from the anterior surface of the arcuate section which form cooling fins to cool the body. Ventilation holes (60,62) are also formed in opposite lateral sides of the protector for cooling the eyeball.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

I. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to eye protectors and, moreparticularly, to eye protectors for sun protection.

II. Background of the Invention

There are a number of previously known eye protectors which are used bysunbathers. These previously known eye protectors typically comprise apair of opaque disks which are dimensioned so that one disk ispositioned across and covers one eye while the other disk covers theother eye. Many of these previously known eye protectors further includea bridge which extends between and connects the two disks together sothat both disks are installed and/or removed as a single unit.

These previously known eye protectors, however, have not proven whollysatisfactory in use. One disadvantage of these previously known eyeprotectors is that the wearer's eyes become heated underneath the eyeprotectors thereby resulting in discomfort.

A still further known disadvantage of these previously known eyeprotectors is that they become easily dislodged from the user's eye uponeven small movement of the user's head. Although the previously knowneye protectors with bridges minimize this problem, such eye protectorsare disadvantageous in that they cover a portion across the user's nose.As a result, the covered portion of the nose does not become evenlytanned with respect to the user's face.

My prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,642,816 addressed many of the above problemsHowever, with my prior device, the user's eyeballs became hot when usedin very hot weather.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention provides an eye protector which overcomes all ofthe above mentioned disadvantages of the previously known devices.

In brief, the eye protector of the present invention comprises a bodyhaving an upper edge, a lower edge and an arcuate section extendingbetween the upper and lower edges. The body is dimensioned so that, withthe body positioned over one human eye, the upper edge is positionedclosely adjacent and above the eye while the lower edge is positionedclosely adjacent and below the eye. One separate eye protector is usedfor each eye.

Unlike the previously known eye protectors the thickness of the eyeprotector of the present invention decreases substantially continuouslyfrom its upper edge and to its lower edge. Consequently, the weight ofthe upper portion of the eye protector, i.e. the portion between amidline of the arcuate section and the upper edge, is greater than theremainder of the eye protector. In practice, it has been found that byincreasing the weight of the upper portion of the eye protector withrespect to its lower portion, the eye protector remains in place acrossthe sunbather's eye despite even moderately rapid movements of thesunbather's head.

A plurality of spaced ridges protrude outwardly from the anteriorsurface of the arcuate section. These ridges form cooling fins whichcool the body in use and, in doing so, maintain the sunbather's eye in acool and comfortable state.

Any conventional material, such as porcelain, synthetics, plastics andthe like can be used to form the body.

Ventilation openings are provided in the opposite lateral sides of thebody. These ventilation openings provide cooling of the eyeball whilestill protecting the eyeball from solar radiation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

A better understanding of the present invention will be had uponreference to the following detailed description when read in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawing, wherein like reference characters referto like parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention in use;

FIG. 2 is a front view illustrating the preferred embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 3 is a crossectional view taken substantially along line 3--3 inFIG. 2; and

FIG 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing a modification thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

With reference first to FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of the eyeprotector of the present invention is thereshown and comprises a pair ofeye protectors 10 adapted to be positioned over the eyes of a sunbather12. The eye protectors 10 for both the right and left eyes aresubstantially mirror images to each other.

With reference now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the eye protector 10 is thereshownin greater detail and comprises a body 14 having an upper edge 16, sideedges 18, and a lower edge 22. As best shown in FIG. 3, an arcuatesection 24 having a concave posterior surface 26 and a convex anteriorsurface 28 extends continuously between the upper edge 16 and lower edge22. Furthermore, the body 14 is dimensioned so that, with the bodypositioned over an eye as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the upper edge 16abuts the sunbather's face closely adjacent to but above the eye 21(FIG. 3) while, conversely, the lower edge 22 abuts against thesunbather's face below but closely adjacent the eye 21. In doing so, theconcave posterior surface 26 of the arcuate section 24 is spacedoutwardly from the user's eye 21.

With reference now particularly to FIG. 3, the thickness of the body 14decreases substantially continually from the upper edge 16 and to thelower edge 22. Consequently, the weight of the upper half 30 of the body14, i.e. the portion of the body 14 between a transverse midline 32 andthe upper edge 16, is greater in weight than the lower half 34 of thebody 14. In practice, it has been found that the heavier weight in theupper half 30 of the body 14 renders the eye protector 10 lesssusceptible to dislodgement despite relatively rapid movement of thesunbather's head. This occurs since the upper edge 16 of the body 14nests within the natural cavity 36 (FIG. 3) formed between thesunbather's eyebrow 38 and upper eyelid 40.

Although in the preferred embodiment of the invention the thickness ofthe upper half 30 of the body 14 is greater than the lower half 34 tothereby increase the weight of the upper half 30, other means can bealternatively used to increase the weight of the upper half 30 of thebody 14. For example, the body 14 can include weights (not shown) in itsupper half 30 while maintaining a substantially constant body thicknessbetween its upper edge 16 and lower edge 22.

With reference now to FIGS. 2 and 3, a plurality of spaced ridges 44protrude outwardly from the anterior surface 28 of the body 14. Theseridges 44 preferably extend transversely across the body 14 and formcooling fins to dissipate heat from the eye protector body 14. Inpractice, these cooling fins 44 have been found to keep the eyeprotector 10 relatively cool thereby maintaining the sunbather's eye ina cool and comfortable state. The anterior surface 28 is also preferablyof a reflective color to minimize the heating of the eye protector 10 byradiant energy.

Although the ridges 44 preferably extend laterally across the body 14,as shown in FIG. 4, the ridges 44 can alternatively extend vertically,as shown at 100, or both vertically and laterally, as shown at 102.Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, any combination of vertical and/orlateral ridges can be used.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 2 and 3, ventilation openings 60 and62 are provided in the opposite lateral sides or edges 18 of the body14. These ventilation openings 60 and 62 allow air circulation and aircooling of the user's eyes 40 while still protecting the eyes from solarradiation.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that the eye protector 10 of thepresent invention provides a simple and yet highly effective means forprotecting a sunbather's eyes from radiant energy from the sun, sunlamps or the like.

Having described my invention, however, many modifications thereto willbecome apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains withoutdeviation from the spirit of the invention as defined by the scope ofthe appended claims.

I claim:
 1. An eye protector comprising:a body having an upper edge, alower edge and an arcuate section extending between said upper and loweredges, said body being dimensioned so that, with said body positionedover a human eye, said upper edge is positioned closely adjacent andabove the eye, said lower edge is positioned closely adjacent and belowthe eye, and said arcuate portion is spaced outwardly from and coversthe eye, wherein said arcuate portion has a thickness which decreasessubstantially continuously from said upper edge to said lower edge, saidbody comprises an air ventilation opening on each lateral edge of thebody.
 2. The invention sa defined in claim 1 wherein said arcuateportion has a posterior surface adapted to face the eye and an anteriorsurface adapted to face away from the eye, and comprising a plurality ofspaced ridges which protrude outwardly from said anterior surface. 3.The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said ridges extendtransversely across said anterior surface.
 4. An eye protectorcomprising:a body having an upper edge, a lower edge and an arcuatesection extending between said upper and lower edges, said body beingdimensioned so that, with said body positioned over a human eye, saidupper edge is positioned closely adjacent and above the eye, said loweredge is positioned closely adjacent and below the eye and said arcuatesection is spaced outwardly from and covers the eye, and means forconstructing said body so that the weight of said body between atransverse midline on said arcuate section and said top edge is greaterthan the weight of said body between said midline and said bottom edge,said body comprises an air ventilation opening on each lateral edge ofthe body.
 5. An eye protector comprising:a body having an upper edge, alower edge and an arcuate section extending between said upper and loweredges, said body being dimensioned so that, with said body positionedover a human eye, said upper edge is positioned closely adjacent andabove the eye, said lower edge is positioned closely adjacent and belowthe eye and said arcuate section is spaced outwardly from and covers theeye, said arcuate section having an anterior surface and a posteriorsurface, means on said anterior surface for cooling said body, whereinsaid cooling means comprises a plurality of spaced ridges protrudingoutwardly from said anterior surface, said body comprises an airventilation opening on each lateral edge of the body.
 6. The inventionas defined in claim 5 wherein said ridges extend laterally across saidbody.
 7. The invention as defined in claim 5 wherein said ridges extendvertically across said body.